water damage
Buying A Home With Potential Water Damage
Water erosion can turn into water damage. Before you buy a home you should check for water damage and the potential for water damage caused by water eroding away land. Sometimes when a home has water damage it may need other repairs. Is there a way that the home could be sold despite the risk of water damage?
Seller Disclosure May Not Include Water Damage
When you buy a home the seller is supposed to tell you certain things under seller disclosure – items that may not be visible to the naked eye. Does this include a home’s proclivity to water damage? Whether seller disclosure requires a seller to discuss water damage depends on the state where the home is located. Each state has different seller disclosure laws.
Closing Date Change Could Cause Loss Of Earnest Money
When a seller changes the closing date and the buyer decides to pursue other properties, can the seller keep the buyer’s earnest money? Does the seller have a right to the earnest money when the contract has been canceled and the closing will no longer occur? And can the seller lay claim to earnest money related to a home repair?
Suing Home Seller 4 Years After Purchase
A homeowner bought a home that has a serious mold problem. He is wondering if he can sue the seller even though he purchased the home four years ago. He has to prove that the sellers knew, or should have known about this problem. That’s the standard for most seller disclosure laws around the country. However, depending on the state, the time to sue may have run out, since it’s four years later.
New Home Has Big Problems
A new home has major problems that seem to have escaped the attention of the home inspector, the seller and the real estate agent. A basement wall collapsed weeks after the new owner moved in. What kind of recourse does the new owner have? The owner should should call the inspector, the agent and a real estate attorney to help figure out what the problem is, if it is a new problem or an existing problem that was missed, whether the seller knew about it, and what needs to happen to resolve the situation.
New Orleans Rebuilds, Part III
Residents of the 9th ward in New Orleans were hit perhaps the hardest by Hurricane Katrina. Ronald Lewis was the first person to move back into the 9th ward, and still remains one of the few to return. With the help of students and an architect he has rebuilt his home to be an example to other residents to return and help rebuild the 9th ward. Ilyce wonders if a neighborhood can still survive without its neighbors.
New Orleans, Two Years Later: Part II
Ilyce takes a tour through the Broadmoor neighborhood of New Orleans to see how the rebuilding effort is moving forward. Nearly two years ago, after Katrina hit and the levees broke, this neighborhood of pastel-colored homes was submerged below 10 feet of water. Today, many of the homes are in the process of being fixed up. However, even with millions of dollars of federal money, grants, and the work of non-profit groups, life is far from normal.
New Orleans: Nearly 2 Years Later, Part I
Two years after Katrina hit, New Orleans resident Oscar Escobar is recovering from the storm. He lost everything in his home to water damage, but he says he started rebuilding almost immediately. He didn’t wait for help from FEMA, but began doing the work on his own. Four months after the levees broke, he moved back into his house. While he was relatively fortunate and he has been helping neighbors rebuild their homes, he says other people have been satisfied to live in the FEMA trailers.
Buyer’s Responsibilty To Change Utilities After Closing
When you buy a home you are responsible for having the utilities turned on in your name. Assuming the utilities will roll over or stay turned on can lead to damages if they get turned off in between occupants.
Home Inspector Failed To Find Damages
A home owner bought a house that has several problems. The home inspector did not include any of the issues in his report. Some home inspectors are better than others, but one thing is always clear in a home inspection, if the problem is not visible, home inspectors can’t pry walls open to inspect the insides of a home. If the issues you have raised should have been uncovered by a competent inspection, you have a good claim against the inspector.
